Two years from now, the Olympic Games will take place in British Columbia, Canada. Excitement over the Vancouver 2010 games is already high, despite the Beijing Olympics having only come to a close earlier this month.

In my opinion, Vancouver is the most ideal place on earth to live. What’s not to love? It has the ocean (beaches, sailing, surfing, diving, boating), mountains (hiking, winter sports, mountain biking), big city (shopping, nightlife, entertainment, restaurants) and is a ferry ride away from smaller islands when you want a peaceful retreat. It’s also right on the US boarder AND the weather in Vancouver is mild all year (snow is rare!)

The slideshow below includes 16 great innovations from Canada’s West Coast. The photo gallery shows images of Vancouver, Whistler and Victoria.